This invention relates to devices and methods for facilitating identification of beverage containers and similar items in order to discourage inadvertent or mistaken identity by another with resultant use and potential spreading of communicable disease.
Personal identification of food and beverage containers has heretofore been proposed, illustrative of which are the proposals of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,024,889 granted to A. Simeone Dec. 17, 1935; 3,392,468 granted to David Wolf on Jul. 16, 1968; 3,974,916 granted to Edgar O. Bartolucci on Aug. 17, 1976; 4,203,240 granted to George I. Goodwin May 20, 1980; 4,347,804 granted to Antony-Euclid C. Villa-Real on Sep. 7, 1982; 4,759,139 granted to M. David Ricks on Jul. 26, 1988; 4,901,457 granted to Donald O. Chandler on Feb. 20, 1990; 5,492,077 granted to Howard L. Rose on Feb. 20, 1996; 5,799,815 granted to Micheal A. Lang on Sep. 1, 1998; 5,839,581 granted to Douglas Vagedes on Nov. 24, 1998; and 5,845,777 granted to Boman K. Najmi on Dec. 8, 1998.
Although such proposals have addressed selected problems encountered in providing personal identification for containers of alimentary products (e.g., food and beverages), there have continued to be certain drawbacks to their use. Thus, apparently for a variety of reasons such as cost or cumbersomeness in use, they have not found popular expression in the market place. Accordingly, there has continued to be a need for improved and more attractive product identification devices that are simple, easy to use, and cost effective.
The improved devices and methods according to the invention hereof include simple and cost effective features that ameliorate adverse conditions and characteristics heretofore associated with prior use and conditions. Thus, in accordance with preferred embodiments hereof, improved identification is provided for conventional screw-top beverage bottles, conventional pop-top cans and boxed and bagged beverages.
For a screw top beverage bottle, lips are added to the upper and lower extremities of the lower, or retaining ring, portion so that a turnable identification ring can readily be mounted (e.g., snappe) thereupon; letters and/or numerals are disposed around the annular exposed periphery of the identification ring; and a turnable (rotatable) member is mounted between the lips. A window is disposed within the side wall of the rotatable follower member so that as the turnable member is turned, the letters and/or numerals are successively displayed through the window to the exterior. The geometry and size of the turnable member are such that when it is snapped in place, there is a frictional fit between a pair of its internal surfaces and the exterior surface of the retaining ring thus preventing the follower member from moving once it is positioned by the user. As an alternative to, or in addition to, exclusively frictional retention, spaced indentations may optionally be provided in the retaining ring so as to engage with extending protrusions positioned within the turnable member so that when protrusions enter indentations, the turnable member is disengagably locked into position. Unlocking is performed by squeezing the turnable member at predetermined locations so as to spring the protrusions outwardly and disengaged them from the indentations.
For bottles not originally fitted with a retaining ring, (e.g., bottles adapted for metallic press-fit caps), a ring may readily be installed by forcing a stretchable cylindrically-shaped member, or wrap-around member about the neck of the bottle in the location normally occupied by a screw-cap retaining ring.
To apply the principals of the invention to conventional pop top cans, a semi-circular array of indicating letters and/or numbers is located on the top outer surface of the can, and a swiveable arm (identification wand) is mounted on the opening mechanism so as to provide a means whereby the user can swivel the arm (wand) to point to a selected one of the indicia (e.g., letters and/or numerals).
For boxed and bagged beverages and for cup tops, a relatively large number of closed but penetrable apertures are provided, each identified with a different alpha-numeric character (number or alphabet letter); and selection is made by selecting the desired one of the penetrable apertures (e.g., as by pushing a straw therethrough). In addition, a rotating selection dial may be attached to the exterior of the box or bag, and selection of an identifying indicia is made by setting the dial to a desired position.
It is one general object of the invention to improve personal hygiene.
It is another object of the invention to facilitate personal identification of food and beverage containers.
It is yet another object of the invention to reduce cost and complexity associated with personal identification of food and beverage containers.
Accordingly, in accordance with one feature of the invention, in one embodiment, spaced, parallel retaining lips are disposed on the neck of a beverage bottle; selectable indicia are disposed in a circumferential array about the neck of the bottle, and a mating turnable member (rotatable follower) is disposed to display to view the selected indicia, thus facilitating customized selectable identification.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the aforementioned turnable member is configured to present geometrical characteristics whereby when installed on the neck of the bottle between the aforementioned lips, interior surfaces frictionally engage corresponding exterior surfaces of the bottle neck or of a retaining ring on the bottle neck, thereby facilitating retaining the turnable member (i.e., follower) in a desired identifying position.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, in one embodiment, protrusions are positioned within the turnable member; and mating indentations are provided in a mating sleeve mounted on the bottle neck or on the bottle neck itself, thereby providing additional facility for retaining the turnable member in a selected position.
In accordance with still another feature of the invention, provision is made for ease of freeing the turnable member from frictional or locking retention in a particular position by the inclusion of predetermined geometrical characteristics to the turnable member whereby the turnable member may be freed to turn by the exertion of manual pressure to preselected resilient regions on the turnable member.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, when locked by the aforementioned protrusions and indentations, unlocking is performed by squeezing on the turnable member at predetermined regions so as to spring the protrusions outwardly and disengage them from the indentations thus facilitating ease of unlocking.
In accordance with still another feature of the invention, an aperture is provided within a sidewall of the turnable member so that as the turnable member is rotated, the aforementioned visual indicia (e.g., letters and/or numerals) are successively displayed through the aperture to the exterior, thus facilitating visual identification.
In accordance with still one further feature of one embodiment of the invention, for bottles not originally fitted with a retaining ring, (e.g., bottles adapted for metallic press-fit caps), selectable identifying indicia may be positioned on the bottle neck directly or on a ring installed by forcing a stretchable cylindrically-shaped member, or wrap-around member about the neck of the bottle in the location normally occupied by a screw-cap retaining ring, thus improving versatility of application of the principles hereof.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, in one embodiment, a plurality of privacy flaps are provided to permit selection of a desired indicia without the necessity for a turnable member.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the principles of the invention are made applicable to conventional pop top cans by disposing a semi-circular array of indicating letters and/or numbers on the top outer surface of the can; and a swivelable arm (identification wand) is mounted on the opening mechanism so as to provide a means whereby the user can swivel the arm (wand) to point to a selected one of the indicia (e.g., letters and/or numerals).
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, for boxed and bagged beverages and for cup tops, a relatively large number of closed but penetrable apertures are provided, each identified with a different alpha-numeric character (number or alphabet letter); and selection is made by selecting the desired one of the penetrable apertures (e.g., as by pushing a straw therethrough), thus facilitating selective identification.
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, a rotating selection dial may be attached to the exterior of the box or bag, and selection of an identifying indicia may be made by setting the dial to a desired position, thus further facilitating identification.